APLEX Technology Inc., a global industrial computer products solution provider, will be showcasing an array of its latest technology and innovation products at the SPS IPC Drives in Nuremberg from 26th to 28th November, 2013. During the exhibition, Aplex will introduce a series of brand new industrial computers specially designed for vertical application customers who are looking for compact, rugged, and cost-effective product solutions.The APC-3593P features stainless steel enclosure and provides full IP65 and IP69k certified to target at strict hygiene regulations for food/chemical industry. AEx-P526 with ATEX (EN-60079:11) provides solution for hazardous application. Moreover, Aplex transportation management solutions help customers to increase visibility into mobile logistics environments by capturing real-time data about cargoes, trucks, deliveries, vessels and workers.Intelligent transportation applicationsAt the 2013 SPS IPC Drives, Aplex's transportation management solution will present how to manage a moving asset in an energy-saving and efficient way. Aplex's transportation applications include marine, railway, and fleet management. For instance, the APC-3920 meets the requirement of DNV standard IEC 60945 and fit in marine application. Moreover, when operating in a speedy railway, it is critical to have industrial solution provide anti-vibration and shock-resistance. Aplex ACS-2563 with EN50155 compliance guarantees high reliability and stability during the journey. To navigate route and transmit data for mobile vehicles, APC-3122 features communication functions including WiFi/GPS/3G to make sure the real-time data capture and fast response.Space-limited and harsh environmentsWith the growing demand for small size and rich I/O interface on a device, the ultra slim fanless ACS-2160 (less than 3cm in height) is a versatile BOX PC which can be installed in space-limited applications such as digital signage, KIOSK, and Point of Information. The ultra slim fanless ACS-2160 can be multifunctional turned your display into a panel PC when it is integrated with a LCD. For harsh environment application, the AEx-P526 equipped with EN60079-11 316 stainless steel enclosure provides solid and reliable protection for hazard applications such as coal mine industries and so on.Expert of stainless steel productExtending Aplex's successful line of stainless steel panel PC, the APC-3593P with full IP 65 rating and IP69K protection provides projected capacitive touch with multi-touch function, enabling zoom, pan and rotate functions and enhancing users touch experience.Aplex is displaying our comprehensive portfolio in the 2013 SPS IPC Drives, and in Aplex Booth in Hall 8, stand 8-200, your will see how Aplex makes our partners more efficient, flexible and productive in their business as well as create add value for our customers.

In line with the rising popularity of IoT (Internet of Things), FineTek (Group) Company, which has deepened its deployments in the industrial sensor market by utilizing its in-house developed technologies, has rolled out integrated wireless smart sensors based on IEEE 802.15.4-enabled Zigbee Pro and WirelessHART 7.3 standards for IoT applications.FineTek has also optimized a number of technologies for versatility of industrial sensors , including PZT (piezoelectric), magnetostrive, radar, optical, flow and RF technologies, to help upgrade the process automation industry, pioneer the development of wireless technology within the industry and formulate related standards and specifications for industrial certification.Enhancing R&D capability; setting international standards and certificationDr. Kelvin Cheng, vice president of FineTek, indicates that there are five categories of physical sensors: temperature, pressure, level, flow and power sensors. These sensors are widely used for process automation in cement, petrochemical, shipbuilding, refrigeration/air conditioning, steel, engineering machinery, food/pharmaceutical machinery industries.Since it began marketing its products under "FineTek" and "FineAutomation" brands in 2003, FineTek now has become a leading supplier of level sensors globally. With R&D personnel accounting for one-fifth of its total employees and R&D expenditure accounting for 12% of its annual sales, FineTek is typically a paragon of technology-oriented company, capable of handling R&D, design, marketing and manufacturing of sensor products in-house.With over 95% of owned design and manufacture in products, FineTek won the National Award of Outstanding Small and Medium Enterprises in 2009, the National Quality Award in 2010, and the Taiwan Excellence Award 2012-2013, and it was also inducted as one of the 128 National Backbone Enterprises in 2013. To encourage an integrated development and fundamental research among industries and academics, FineTek has invested large sums in holding an annual scientific thesis contest since 2012. Graduate students in electronics, telecommunications, machinery and related engineering departments are encouraged to participate in the contest.Dr. Cheng points out that the manufacture of industrial electronic sensors is a complex integrated process combining optics, mechanics, electronics and materials, featuring diverse specifications, customized applications, stringent operating environments and high reliability requirements. After decades of efforts, FineTek's brand image, product portfolios and explosion proof and intrinsic safety related products have built a high barrier that rival companies hard to surpass. This makes FineTek one of a very few companies in Asia that lead the industry in terms of R&D design, owned manufacturing, specifications ruling and owned marketing.FineTek was the sole representative of the manufacturing sector in Asia to take part in PTB-UL Workshop 2012. FineTek has also played an important role promoting the establishment of China's national (GB) standards, Taiwan's TS explosion-proof certification as well as Taiwan's national standards for low-pressure gas flow calibration.Enhancing technological services and new product deploymentsFineTek's competitiveness lies in its unique capability to pioneer the industry by providing its clients with its "SAVE" technological services that help integrate knowledge between clients and supply chains, shunning cut-throat pricing competition in 4P (product, price, packaging and promotion) areas, Dr. Cheng stresses.SAVE is an acronym of Solution, Access, Value and Education, representing the company's aims to provide its clients with integrated solutions that enable access to convenient procurement and technology services, that ramp up application value at clients, and that integrate educational training between clients and supply chains, Dr. Cheng explains.Under SAVE, FineTek offers a number of services to clients, covering product design, on-spot technical support and industry information. It also helps clients enhance their user experience by offering them integrated operating interfaces with wireless communications compatibility.For small- and medium-size enterprises in the process automation industry, FineTek not only provides them with physical sensors, but also helps them build up needed platforms for Internet connectivity and access to wireless sensor networks. FineTek also offers basic training and industry knowledge for human-machine interaction, as well as other educational programs and real-time technical support for industrial upgrading.Management consulting company McKinsey has pointed out that a total of 12 out of 100 major technologies currently being developed will have the highest potential in the future, and these 12 most promising technologies will generate total production value of up to 14-33 trillion USD by 2025. FineTek is currently involved in four of the most promising technologies: mobile Internet, Internet of Things (IoT), oil and gas exploration, and renewable energy applications.The global process automation industry requires the most demanding industrial explosion-proof certified devices. To meet such requirements, as well as rising demand stirred up by IoT development, FineTek is also delivering its core remote wireless monitoring and contactless smart sensing technologies aiming to stimulate new business opportunities worldwide.Applications for homeland monitoring and new energy explorationIn addition to deepening its development of IEEE 802.15.4-based wireless smart sensor solutions, FineTek has also ventured into the development of radar sensors and magnetostrictive level sensors. FineTek is also capable of offering next-generation low-power physical sensors which are built combining renewable energy (solar, wind, hydro and vibration) and wireless networks for new energy exploration in the wilderness, and environment and homeland monitoring in remote areas.Optimizing our core technologies and SAVE service model, FineTek's integrated sensor solutions cover microwave electronics technology, radar technology, magnetic components, wireless solutions, flow technology, and PZT and optical applications. These will be recognized as most reliable branded products in the international real manufacturer, fulfilling our goal of becoming one of the top-10 physical sensor providers globally.FineTek intelligent wireless sensor networking solutions

Featuring low-power consumption, small size, and a wide operating temperature range, RISC-based devices are playing an increasingly important role in the embedded market. At the panel discussion themed on "Key business growth driver – RISC", Advantech invited executives from Freescale, TI, and Advantech Europe and China to discuss its huge market opportunities as well as the challenges ahead, and how Advantech is collaborating with partners to provide complete RISC-based solutions.The RISC Market is BoomingFrom the perspective of power consumption and response time, RISC architecture such as ARM will have a considerable advantage in embedded application. With more and more smart nodes devices will be installed in the smart city, this represents a hug market opportunity for RISC devices.According to Aaron Su, Director of Advantech Embedded Computing Group, in the smart city network architecture, the middle level and advanced computing needs will still be taken by X86, while the entry-level intelligent system, such as "smart nodes" in intelligent cloud network, will be dominated by ARM. ARM-based micro computing will be the last mile technology of smart city.Carlos Betancourt, Sitara ARM MPU Marketing Manager of TI, is also optimistic about the future of RISC architecture, saying that it is estimated that ARM-based processors will be widely used in a wide range of IoT markets, such as point of service, smart grid, automotive, medical, and connected home, with CAGR more than 10%."The opportunity for ARM in China market is also huge," said Xiaofeng Ou, Sales and Marketing Manager of Advantech China. One of the reasons is that customers may switch from existing X86 architecture to ARM because of better power consumption. At the same time, for a better choice on performance, customers may also decide to upgrade from old models to new ones.However, though RISC-based products can offer a better P/C rate for embedded applications, there are still many challenges for the customers to us RISC solutions.Driving Growth through RISC Standards"As the industry is driving the progress of IoT applications, there are still plenty of challenges to overcome, such as issues of connectivity, power, security, design complexity and rapidly evolving standards," Carlos Betancourt said.In order to cope with these issues, what the industry needs are: broad variety of wired or wireless standards, the lowest power solutions for any applications, build-in hardware security technology, IoT solutions for everyone, not just experts, and flexible hardware and software portfolios to mix and match.Stephane Gervais-Ducouret, Director of Global Market for Consumer & Industrial, Freescale, echoed this viewpoint. He emphasized that, in the IoT era, the industry needs more flexible solutions, since one size doesn't fit all anymore. In addition to cost-effectiveness and energy efficiency, the main considerations should also include real-time and user interface, portfolio breadth that enables software scalability, and embedded architecture with a rich software ecosystem.He pointed out that board solution is the best way for fast adoption while addressing increasing number of new applications. And both TI and Freescale are teaming up with Advantech to offer a wide range of solutions.On the other hand, Vincenzo Difronzo, Sales and Marketing Manager of Advantech Europe, stressed that the lack of standard makes customers cautious about using ARM architecture because of its low ROI. Adopting RISC-based designs is time and cost consuming. Therefore, minimize design efforts is a must for the wide adoption of ARM architecture in IoT applications.In view of this demand, Advantech is actively participating in the specification definition for Qseven and SMARC to promote RISC-based industrial standards. In addition, for rugged applications, Advantech has proposed a RTX 2.0 (RISC Technology extended) form factor.Advantech has collaborated with partners to offer a full range of standardized modules such as Qseven, SMARC, and RXT. In addition to module solutions, Advantech also provides complete 3.5" RISC-based box computer products, such as the newly launched UBC-DS31, to help customers leverage RISC-based products more easily. Through partnering and speeding up the progress of standardization efforts, Advantech is well positioned to embrace the great opportunities of RISC market.Advantech has collaborated with partners to offer a full range of standardized modules such as Qseven, SMARC, and RXT.

2013 Advantech World Partner Conference (WPC) was grandly held in Suzhou China on November 21~23, 2013 with more than 500 partners attending this event. During the three days of activities themed on "Partnering for Smart City & IoT Solutions", Advantech clearly delivered the messages that how the new era of IoT will bring new opportunities to the traditional embedded market and how the company will strive for the next phase of significant growth.During his keynote speech titled "Leadership in Integrated Embedded Computing Solutions" KC Liu, CEO of Advantech, shared with the audience about the transformation of embedded business development and Advantech's strategies to address this evolution.Smart City & IoT to Drive Huge OpportunitiesThis year is Advantech's thirty-year anniversary, and the company has also achieved USD 1 billion of revenue this year. "For the past thirty years, Advantech has become one of the global leaders in embedded computing," said KC Liu. "When asked about the future of Advantech's next thirty years, I think the answer is clear: smart city and IoT solutions."According to IDC, there will be 25B IoT devices installed by 2020 to enable smart city, and it is estimated that the market size of Smart city and IoT will reach USD 10 trillion in 2030."I believe that in the coming 30 years, most cities in the world will become smart cities, enabled by technologies of IoT, sensors, iConnectivity, industrial cloud, embedded computing, and many integrated vertical solutions. With a huge number of things will be connected intelligently, there are great opportunities in front of us."The industry is just at the beginning of this great revolution, and it still takes time for each solution to get matured. But with the firm believe that smart city solutions will be able to change the world and people's lives, KC Liu emphasized, "It's our job to make it happen.""In response to the mega trend, the smart city industry will take a paradigm shift from horizontally-integrated PC era to segmented vertical solutions provided by domain focused system integrators. The winner in the smart city era will be B2B SI-oriented players like most of us.""Embedded computer and intelligent systems are the building blocks for smart city and IoT solutions, which are also the two main focuses of this conference. I'd like to make every partner aware that Advantech does not only selling computing boards, but also the leading provider of the core building blocks for upcoming new era."Initiating Sector-Lead Business TransformationAs the industry is moving towards the new IoT era, the traditional business model will also need to be adapted. KC stated that, Advantech is making transformation from previous product-lead business structure to Sector-lead business structure.Under this structure, Advantech will grow its global sales forces in iAutomation, Embedded Market and iService market respectively. Also, the company will pursue IoT evolution with i-Cloud and intelligent systems, covering intelligent video, network security, industrial cloud, equipment builder, and intelligent transportation.At the same time, In order to upgrade Advantech's offerings, it is evolving embedded business model from General platform, to application ready platform (ARP), and further to service ready platform/package (SRP).KC Liu explained that for the past years, Advantech has successfully transformed from general embedded platform providers to application ready platform (ARP) providers, focusing on building domain dedicated system platforms for a wide range of applications, including medical computing, POS, KIOSK, and digital signage, etc.In the next phase, Advantech will evolve itself again to SRP, covering domain focused integration services, ARP hardware, software solution, and industrial cloud, with the aim to realizing the vision of iRetail, iHospital, iBuilding, intelligent video and more. By doing so, Advantech will be able off SRP to its SI customers and make their jobs much easier.Chaney Ho, President of Advantech, echoed KC's statement. Ho pointed out that Advantech will change its business model from product selling to application and solutions selling and from regional sales to global integrated sector sales.In addition to this, Advantech is also setting up Local Growth Team (LGT), aiming to connect headquarter resources and then develop China needed products, so as to distribute them globally with competitive prices.Under this transformation, Ho is very optimistic about Advantech's future growth, saying, "We have taken 30 years to achieve USD 1B revenue. But with three key factors, including smart city and IoT era, sector-lead transformation, and collaborate with global partners, I believe we will be able to reach USD 2B revenue by 2018, only 5 years from now."In the end, Liu stressed that through collaborating, Advantech and partners can develop integrated and innovated solutions together to realize the vision of smart city. "The opportunity to change the world is in front of us," he said.2013 Advantech World Partner Conference (WPC) was grandly held in Suzhou China on November 21~23, 2013 with more than 500 partners attending this event.

Advantech+ Technology Campus (A+TC) is a newly-built, 40,000m2 four-building campus in Kunshan, which will officially open in January, 2014. For Advantech, the campus is positioned as a collaborative, embedded R&D design-in center in China, and also an important base for smart city development.The Role that A+TC PlaysAccording to KC Liu, CEO of Advantech, the campus was designed with two special concepts. First, it's planned to be a collaborative technology center with talents from all over China and even worldwide. So, there is a campus dormitory, with more than 90 rooms for long-stay talents.Second, it will be a demo center for smart city technology and solutions. The top two floors of the main building will be used as a long-term smart city solution demo place, where customers and partners can further understand Advantech's complete offerings for buildings a wide range of intelligent systems.This investment shows Advantech's commitment to long-term development of smart city and IoT solutions in China.KC stated that, the "+" in A+ TC stands for the constant pursuit of the Good to Great spirit of enterprise, and the word "plus" in Chinese also means "together", symbolizing that through A+ TC, Advantech will collaborate with partners to enable an intelligent planet together."In addition to be used for open design facilities, HW/SW design teams, and demo floors, the campus is aimed to achieve partner value creation effects, including Partner Joint Projects, Key account ODM, and the gateway for foreign partners to enter China market. We will develop fully integrated, highly flexible, and partner friendly design solutions here to help customers embrace the great opportunities in the new IoT era."Just 400 meter away from A+TC, there is Advantech Kushanh Manufacturing Campus (AKMC). Currently, there are 2400 employees working in this seven-building campus, providing 60% of Advantech's overall manufacturing capacities.Together with the manufacturing, customization, and logistics capabilities of AKMC, KC stressed that Advantech will be able to drive the rapid progress of smart city solution integration and China local growth business.Showcase of Comprehensive Intelligent SolutionsAt the eighth and ninth floors of A+TC, a broad range of themed pavilions are displayed. At the eighth floor, there are exhibitions of Intelligent Service, Digital Logistics, Digital Healthcare, and iAutomation.Visitors can have a better understanding of the actual applications and scenarios of intelligent systems, such as intelligent retail & hospitality, quality nursing care, and intelligent outpatient services and more.And in the ninth floor, there are several different pavilions, including embedded M2M/IoT modules, intelligent signage, embedded software, ecosystem center, embedded board and design-in service, cloud networks & communications, and embedded DSP.In particular, all the intelligent systems in these pavilions are connected with Advantech's SUSIAccess. It's a perfect demonstration of how Advantech's embedded computing builds connectivity to intelligent systems.On the other hand, the building of A+TC itself is actually a showcase of the company's wide range of intelligent products and solutions, including Building and Energy Management Systems (BEMS), human sensing control, smart card, intelligent video system, intelligent reception, intelligent meeting, and intelligent parking.For example, at the main entrance of the building, there is a control room showing various information of the building, such as power consumption, and the status of HVAC and parking lots and more. And at the lobby, there are signage systems delivering fresh digital content in the i-Reception area, and an interactive TV-wall, e-Catalog, welcome board and digital artworks will reside in various areas of the building. Advantech will make use of A+TC as an actual example of intelligent building and further promote its concept and market adoptions.Advantech+ Technology Campus (A+TC) is positioned as a collaborative, embedded R&D design-in center in Kunshan, China, and also an important base for smart city development.

Infinet Group, a leading sales channel of test and measurement solutions, expands sales partnership with Wilder Technologies to South Korea and Japan regions. Infinet Group is now the distributor of Wilder Technologies for Taiwan, China, Korea and Japan delivering complete high performance test fixture solutions and services.Wilder Technologies is the leading manufacturer of high performance test fixtures and has recently introduced the latest MHL, myDP test fixtures for high-speed data, voice and video transmission product test demands in the cloud-computing and high-speed mobile transmission era. Infinet Group delivers the fastest, most accurate and comprehensive MHL and myDP source/receiver/physical-layer test solutions and valued-services by integrating Wilder Technologies MHL (Mobile High-definition Link) test fixtures, Agilent oscilloscopes and network analyzers, and high frequency RF matched pair cables.About Infinet Group:Infinet Group (http://www.infinet.com.tw/) is a professional sales channel delivering leading test and measurement solutions in Greater China (Taiwan and China). Infinet delivers global advanced precision measurement instruments, industrial environment test tools, RF cable adapters, and high-speed digital test fixture product and services. Established in early 2000, Infinet has built a well-established organization in the region with strong sales, engineering, operation management, customer services, logistics, and marketing functions. Infinet Group builds up one Digital Laboratory and one Microwave Test Application Laboratory with test capacity and technical consultation service of USB3.0, DDR, HDMI, 10GBaseT, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt, SATA, PCI Express, MIPI, LCR and Impedance, RF component test, and Wireless application test. Infinet Group includes Infinet-Taiwan, Infinet-China, and ATeam Scientific. Infinet is a subsidiary of Spirox Corporation (Taiwan Stock Exchange: #3055).About Wilder Technologies:Wilder Technologies (http://www.wilder-tech.com/) was formed for the purpose of utilizing the combined talents of highly trained and experienced engineers and scientists to design, create and characterize the most uniquely enabling technologies for high speed signal data transmission. Wilder Technologies uses a systemic approach to solving signal integrity challenges using time and frequency domain analysis, measurement techniques, state of the art tools and design methodologies to develop metrological solutions such as high-speed, high-performance test adapters. Wilder Technologies products are certified by various international standards: SAS, SATA, Thunderbolt, DiiVA, DisplayPort, HDMI, MHL, SFP+, QSFP+, Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE), FC16, M.2(NGFF).

The new FMCC SOL high-performance filter series is designed for rated currents from 150A to 2500A which are ideal for increasingly powerful inverters that require filters on both the AC and DC sides. With UL approved voltage of 520VAC or 760VAC, they can be used in all high-performance systems such as inverters for photovoltaic, wind power systems as well as in industrial applications and quick-charge stations for electric vehicles. Despite this high performance, they feature a compact, lightweight design.The market for renewable energy continues to grow strongly in the coming decade and beyond. Demand for high-performance inverters are on the rise as powerful and physically larger systems need to meet optimal energy efficiency. Modern inverters with MPPT (maximum power point tracking) generate interference in both directions: on the AC grid side and the DC panel side. On the DC side, a filter in the FMER SOL series can be used for currents from 25A to 2300A. These are enhanced very nicely on the AC side with the new FMCC SOL high-current series for 3-phase AC from 150A to 2500A. Filtering on both sides of the connection lines help to meet common EMC standards.The FMCC SOL filter family has UL approvals for ambient temperatures of +50 degrees C as well as +40 degrees C with higher rated current. The high voltage rating of 760VAC allows their use in IT power grids.The FMCC SOL up to 250A is equipped standard with M10 screw connections and starting at 320A with copper bars. Other connection types (stranded wire or copper bars for current levels less than 320A) are available on request. In addition, customer modifications to the switching or the housing are also possible on request.SCHURTER EMC measurement serviceSCHURTER EMC measurement service is a value added service that is offered to equipment manufacturers in order to determine conducted emissions and provide the most efficient filter solution.SCHURTER's new FMCC SOL: Get the Maximum Efficiency of Power System.

Held every two years, the Merck LC Insight seminar is a communication platform for Merck and Taiwanese display innovation experts to discuss the topics of latest liquid crystal materials. During this year's seminar, Merck presented special materials for advanced liquid crystal (LC) applications, opening up opportunities in these industries with a convincing product portfolio.Several Merck experts from Germany and the UK introduced new LC materials for display applications to the invited guests. The company demonstrated its technology leadership to industry experts and customers, with a face to face discussion session at the event.Several new technology samples were displayed in the demonstrated booths in the event, which attracted a lot of attention. The new emerging applications Merck presented including new LC materials as well as OLEDs, RM (Reactive Mesogens), flexible displays, photovoltaic, 3D, Smart Antenna and LED lighting solutions. There were more than 250 invited guests from the field of displays, lighting and new technologies in the event.On the sidelines of the event, Dr. John Lee, Director-M&S Unit of Performance Materials – Liquid Crystals, and Dr. Karl Skjonnemand, RD Director also provided a further look at the development of the current liquid crystal applications and its future trends, and offered some suggestions to Taiwan display manufacturers.Taiwan panel makers shake up the industry with differentiation strategyMerck's product can be divided into 3 major categories of (1) Display, (2) Lighting, and (3) Photovoltaic. The demonstrated products in the seminar are distributed and cross-used among these three major areas. However, Merck's liquid crystal is still mainly applied in Taiwan in the display field.Dr. Lee observes that Taiwan display panel makers' new innovative products are leading the trend, including large-sized panels, high-resolution 4K2K TVs, and Wide Color Gamut LCD with 100% NTSC ratio. Those new developed products effectively raised Taiwan panel maker's competitiveness and re-position them to a new market segment.The reason for this successful step, Dr. Lee mentioned, is that Taiwan panel makers took a brave step to create product differentiation. This is the key for the transformation.Dr. Skjonnemand agreed that 10 years ago Taiwan makers were very good at being a fast follower, but within the past 5 years, he noted that Taiwan players are more confident to leverage their own strength in new product development. By accumulating many technology improvements, they are able to produce very innovative products. The result is an impressive series of new product lines, such as super narrow bezels, 4K2K TVs, Wide Color Gamut technologies and even "Curved" LCD panels, which have shaped the market.From the cost perspective, advanced LCD TVs are highly competitive compared to OLED TVs. Although still newly introduced, the 4K2K TV is seen with a great potential to be the next big thing for future TV market. Now about 70% of 4K2K TV is produced by Taiwan, and with the coming of 2014 world cup games, it is anticipated that a boost in demand will help the market to expand in many countries.Apart from the new products, Taiwan panel makers have found a special supply-demand relationship with the TV brands, Dr. Lee highlighted. There are more than 30 TV brands in the market right now, but only 8 major panel manufacturers in the world. This allows panel makers to lead the mainstream specification instead of doing the ODM in the old days. The 4K2K TV is a good example of TV brands following a new product introduced by panel manufacturers. Now Taiwan panel makers have become the game changer due to the brave steps they have taken with the differentiation strategy.Merck's new technologies inside Taiwan panel maker's innovative displaysThe high-resolution 4K2K TV, with 4 times higher resolution compared to Full HD TV, requires high transmittance and fast switching new PS-VA liquid crystal materials from Merck, in order to keep brightness, efficiency and cost levels for the TV. This massive improvement in the material innovation supports Taiwan panel makers to build 4K2K TV to high standards. The synergy of technology innovation between Merck and Taiwan panel makers is proven to be impeccable over the years.New advanced FFS materials have also been developed by Merck and are applied in small electronics devices such as smartphones and tablets. Its high transmittance feature allows a better use of back light source, which can effectively reduce the power consumption to sustain a longer usage time for smart devices."Smart Windows" applications enable Blue Ocean StrategyFor surviving in the high competitive LCD industry, Taiwan panel makers need to look for opportunities beyond displays and discover a new "Blue Ocean". Merck held its Displaying Futures symposium in Taiwan last year, and the topic "Smart Windows" was most widely discussed by experts from various fields; and therefore was considered to be the product with most potential in future living."Smart Windows" is a new technology that will be used in the construction industry for energy saving and privacy applications. Liquid crystal materials can be applied in several different configurations to provide electrical switching for privacy shades, which then can help control room temperature. Alternatively, optical films made from reactive Liquid Crystals for simple mechanical windows shutters. Both of these applications provide modern stylish solutions for architects, designers and builders.Energy saving windows is particularly valued for glass facades on skyscrapers. Merck has invested in technology to enable switchable Smart Windows using liquid crystals and fluorescent dyes to absorb light, providing shade, which is then channeled to photovoltaic cells at the edge of the windows providing the power to switch the window. By blocking the external light, the interior temperature can be maintained at a certain level, thus achieving the goal to save energy and reduce power consumption. In addition, the thin and light features of smart windows allow space benefits for modern architecture design. In the future, smart window technology could eventually become a basic component in green buildings design.The Green Building industry and government energy policy is closely tied together. The government's incentive program to reward green building owners will be the driving force in that market. Many big enterprises are also willing to invest in green buildings due to social responsibility reasons. Nevertheless, sustainability and energy saving has become a global trend, and with the government and enterprises' joint effort, the industry will be fast growing in the near future.The market for "Smart Windows" will be about 10 times more than the current LCD manufacturing capacity. To Taiwan panel makers, this is a tremendous business opportunity. However, to enter a new field, a new business model is required. Despite Merck being the leading supplier for liquid crystals, it takes much more than a material suppliers effort to shape an industry. Now Merck is looking for collaboration partners to realize the dream of incorporating Smart Window in a landmark green building.Merck's intention to depict future living with the Displaying Futures symposium will not stop. In addition, Merck will continuously support Taiwan panel makers to develop differentiated products to drive the momentum for innovation that Taiwan has started.The Merck LC Insight seminar is a communication platform for Merck and Taiwanese display innovation experts to discuss the topics of the latest liquid crystal materials.

It is expected that three out of every five people will be living in cities by 2030 to create a global urban population of 50 billion states, according to United Nations data. Rapid global urbanization will place immense pressure on every city in such areas as education, health care, transportation, public facilities and a myriad of other areas.In order to meet public demand, mitigate pressure on resource use and establish sustainable environments, a number of cities have begun to utilize information and communication technologies to deliver services that will meet people's daily and public service needs while also transforming themselves into smart green cities.To help cities in Taiwan identify the most suitable business model for sustainable operations, and to help Taiwan's ICT industry tap the US$10 trillion industry catering to smart green city developments, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) thus commissioned the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) to recently hold the "2013 Taiwan International Smart Green City Summit" in Taipei. Experts and specialists from the USA, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and China were invited to address and share the latest smart green city applications of Global Development Strategy, Sustainable Cities and Integrated Solutions in three separate sessions.Hui-fang Chiang, director of Trade Development Division of the Bureau of Foreign Trade under the MOEA, pointed out in her opening address to the Summit that the ever-changing ICT industry and the popularity of cloud computing services have not only facilitated the development globalization, but have also accelerated the pace of urbanization. As a result it is urgent for cities around the globe to realize smart cities through information and communication technologies. Taiwan is no exception, and Taipei City Government has been exerting efforts to develop Taipei City into a sustainable smart green city and aims to be selected as the World Design Capital in 2016."Taiwan by leveraging its three decades of expertise in the development of ICT and its competitive R&D for solar power systems is set to gain early access to the huge smart green city market, and this trend will allow Taiwan's ICT industry to achieve new heights," remarked Peter Huang, president and CEO of TAITRA.In addition to a strong ICT industry, Taiwan has also performed remarkably in regard to the management of sustainable cities. For example, the Taichung City Government managed to win first place among the world's Top-7 Intelligent Communities of 2013 awarded by the Intelligent Community Forum. That credit was largely achieved due to its efforts to build the municipality into a green city through cultural construction and use of innovative applications. Huang expressed his hope that the Summit would serve as a hub to connect Taiwan business cities in the world, inspire smart green applications to take root in various cities on the island and open more business opportunities.Creating the sustainable city: Starting with low carbon emissions, greening projects & smart applicationsTo help Taiwan-based firms better appreciate the latest developments of smart cities in other countries, Tracye McDaniel, president and CEO of the non-profit corporation Choose New Jersey, showed how more economical and smarter ways can be used to promote the sustainable social and economic growth through various civil or community projects.McDaniel remarked that issues such as rapid globalization and urbanization have forced every city to address problems related to sustainable living, and they are beginning to evaluate various situations, including energy, environmental protection, water technology, transportation, medical care and architecture.To enable sustainable living in New Jersey, McDaniel added that the state government has formed a specialized Green Team which has set up a comprehensive assessment system to evaluate various factors in buildings, land, water and energy and to integrate resources of the state government and civic organizations to build strong partnerships to promote programs for the establishment of sustainable communities. The Green Team also organizes regular workshops and online seminars to promote interactive exchanges among communities and provide training and consulting services.Andrew Leung, president of the Hong Kong-based Asian Institute of Intelligent Buildings, stressed that each city needs different sustainable management solutions to cope with various cultures and environments of each country, and only through autonomous planning and green construction will let each city best build and manage sustainably to meet the needs of its inhabitants in a smart green city.Stanley Yip, director of planning and development at Arup China, pointed out that as China has outpaced the US to become the largest global producer of carbon emissions since 2006, the Asian giant has been actively promoting the establishment of low-carbon smart eco-cities through improvements to energy efficiency, applications of new energy, forest protection and green economy. In addition, the China government has also been sharing the successful stories of eco-cities through seminars to encourage more cities to embrace the goal of creating "sustainable energy that's environmental friendly."Koichi Moto, executive managing officer and director of Mori Building, noted that there are diverse ways to realize smart green cities, and Mori has been optimizing underground space, environmental space planning, road planning and multi-transportation networks to construct large complexes and high-rise buildings that are resistant to earthquakes and other disasters. It is also building vertical garden cities such as Gotenyama Garden and Shiroyama Garden which are instrumental to energy saving while reducing carbon emissions.At the Seminar Mr. K.C. Liu, CEO of Advantech, remarked that, "The information industry has generally seen dramatic changes every 15 years, such as the shift from mainframes to PCs, and then to Internet services. We believe that the rise of smart cities and Internet of Things is leading to a paradigm shift in the IT industry that is happening over a span of 15 years."Since the development of smart cities involves a wide range of issues, industries in Taiwan have to integrate their resources so that they can thrive in the US$10 trillion smart city market. In addition to interactions between themselves, hardware, software and information service companies industry should also open dialogue in other fields including architecture and medicine in order to pinpoint solutions to building smart cities, said Liu. He added that Advantech's new office buildings in Taoyuan, Taiwan and Kunshan, China – both slated for completion in 2014 – are being built in cooperation with experts in multi-disciplinary areas.Identifying demand to create the most suitable smart citiesCiting data from the United Nations that there are likely to be a total of 18 mega cities in Asia by 2020 with a population each exceeding 10 million, Mei-chen Lin, VP of Schneider Electric Taiwan, recommended they start by tackling minor issues they currently face and then go on to identify appropriate long term smart city solutions that may effectively prevent and solve problems arising from energy shortages, insufficient public facilities, worsening pollution and park space. Schneider Electric, she pointed out, has already assisted creating more than 230 smart city areas in the US, Europe, Japan and India.Kok Fei Damian Tang, president of Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects, suggested that through dialogues between experts, scholars, the public sector, community groups and local residents, each city can find the most appropriate business model of its own. They should then encourage citizens to embrace that business model, and motivate them in daily life to comply with programs to save energy and reduce carbon emissions and to contribute to building sustainable smart green cities.Arding Hsu, senior VP of Siemens Limited China and head of Siemens Corporate Technology in China, emphasized the importance of providing the public with necessary smart solutions and diverse ways to launch smart green cities. Acknowledging that smart green cities can only be realized with the support of the public and through a balance of technologies and service price, Siemens has dedicated itself to the development of such cost-effective smart green city solutions as microgrid technology that shortens the return on investment period from 15 to nine years.In addition to developing cost-effective intelligent solutions, Advantech also believes that it is essential for related partners to work out smart city solutions that meet demand of individual markets. For example, Advantech is cooperating with Chunghwa Telecom to launch USM services by the end of the year. Retail service providers will be able to remotely control their inventories, carry out security surveillance, reduce carbon emissions and control playbacks of digital signage content, according to Ken Yu, VP of Intelligent Services at Advantech. Advantech has also been actively cooperating with system integrators in the US and Europe, Yu concluded, by offering services in such areas as intelligent retail, intelligent medicare, intelligent buildings and intelligent robots.In conclusion, rapid urbanization has made it increasingly vital for cities to apply and address such areas as smart green cities, the integration of hardware and software industries and cross-industry alliances to allow cities in Taiwan to apply the most appropriate business model for sustainable development. The good news is that such business models can then be duplicated in other parts of Asia, as they too seek to tap into the growing smart green city market.At the opening ceremony of the 2013 Taiwan International Smart Green City Summit are (left to right): Mori Building Executive Manager and Director Koichi Moto; Yu Chi-Chung Culture and Education Foundation President Alice Yu; Choose New Jersey CEO Tracye McDaniel; BOFT Trade Development Director Hui-fang Chiang; TAITRA CEO Peter Huang; Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects President Kok Fei Damian Tang; Arup China Planning and Development Director Stanley Yip and Asia Institute of Intelligent Buildings President Andrew Leung.

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